Hey ya all. It's Friday Night. Speaking of Friday Night, does anyone remember the show Friday Night Videos? It came on late at night on, of course, Friday Night. It was a half or hour long show and they would show new release videos and some current one's that had been out for while. I believe this was before MTV but I could be wrong. We never had cable at the house so I'm not sure if it was before or after. Anyway, this week has to do with the 80's metal "power ballad". Every big hair band in the 80's and early 90's had one. You had bands such as Poison, Motley Crue, Twisted Sister, Guns N Roses and about hundred more and they all had two things i
n common. BIG hair and a "love song". The metal ballad as it was called. I think these softer side songs can be traced all the way back to one of my favorite bands (see my first old school post) Kiss. With Kiss, here were these fire breathing, blood spewing monsters of Rock performing with explosions and pyrotechnics all around them, then the lights would grow dim and Peter Criss would perform Beth. People were confused. It didn't make sense. It was hard to understand. You mean these guys actually feel emotions like everyone else does? Peter Criss pouring his heart out, lamenting the fact he's out with the boys and his girl is home alone. It was and still is a great song. If I'm in the car riding and Beth comes on all conversation must cease! I take off my imaginary hat (I don't wear one) and I get teary eyed as Peter sings. Fast forward to the 80's and look at all those metal bands that were so popular back then. They all copied Kiss and put out their "Love song". These bands would have concerts and the fans were out of control. All during the show fans were ripping chairs up and beating other concert goers over the heads with them. People would rush the stage to get as close as possible and every now and then some unfortunate person would get trampled and killed. Drunken fans would fight. Women were groped. But when the band started performing their "Love Ballad" suddenly all the rioting and fighting ceased. Fans that had been going at it would take pause and everyone placed a arm around the person next to them while holding a lighter up in the air with the free hand. Suddenly, enemies became friends. People became humans again. The "Power Ballad" was being performed. Which one is my favorite? Besides Beth, the all time classic, I gotta go with a song a little later after that one. If I have to pick just one to post
on here it would have to be Skid Rows I Remember You. Skid Row was one of many big hair bands from the 80's. This song was from their first self titled album, Skid Row. From 1989, I Remember You. Enjoy!
n common. BIG hair and a "love song". The metal ballad as it was called. I think these softer side songs can be traced all the way back to one of my favorite bands (see my first old school post) Kiss. With Kiss, here were these fire breathing, blood spewing monsters of Rock performing with explosions and pyrotechnics all around them, then the lights would grow dim and Peter Criss would perform Beth. People were confused. It didn't make sense. It was hard to understand. You mean these guys actually feel emotions like everyone else does? Peter Criss pouring his heart out, lamenting the fact he's out with the boys and his girl is home alone. It was and still is a great song. If I'm in the car riding and Beth comes on all conversation must cease! I take off my imaginary hat (I don't wear one) and I get teary eyed as Peter sings. Fast forward to the 80's and look at all those metal bands that were so popular back then. They all copied Kiss and put out their "Love song". These bands would have concerts and the fans were out of control. All during the show fans were ripping chairs up and beating other concert goers over the heads with them. People would rush the stage to get as close as possible and every now and then some unfortunate person would get trampled and killed. Drunken fans would fight. Women were groped. But when the band started performing their "Love Ballad" suddenly all the rioting and fighting ceased. Fans that had been going at it would take pause and everyone placed a arm around the person next to them while holding a lighter up in the air with the free hand. Suddenly, enemies became friends. People became humans again. The "Power Ballad" was being performed. Which one is my favorite? Besides Beth, the all time classic, I gotta go with a song a little later after that one. If I have to pick just one to post 
on here it would have to be Skid Rows I Remember You. Skid Row was one of many big hair bands from the 80's. This song was from their first self titled album, Skid Row. From 1989, I Remember You. Enjoy!
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